Since the ability to obtain adequate yields of infectious virus can limit vaccine manufacturing, improved methods of virus production are always needed to meet an important industrial and medical need. Previous work (Munger et al., PLoS Pathog 2:e132, 2006; Munger et al., Nat Biotech 26:1179-86, 2008)) has demonstrated that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) induces the synthesis of fatty acids, and, importantly, that the virus requires the de novo synthesis of fatty acids to generate an optimal yield of infectious progeny. Despite this understanding, U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,736 discloses that the addition of lipids during growth of certain viruses, and in particular after initiation of infection of the cultured cells, inhibits virus production.
Preparation of stock virus is necessary for development of therapeutic methods and materials. Accordingly, improved methods for virus production are useful for improving the yield of infectious virus, and more specifically for vaccine production.